*Ø* Blogmanac | Israel murders Hamas leader Rantissi

The Guardian:

"The Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi was killed today in an Israeli missile attack on his car, hospital officials said. Rantissi's son Mohammed and a bodyguard were also killed in the attack, they added.

"The killing comes less than a month after Israel assassinated Hamas's founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, in an air strike. Rantissi had been one of Israel's prime targets in its campaign against the militant Palestinian group ...

"The killing occurred against the backdrop of President Bush's endorsement of a plan by Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, to withdraw unilaterally from Gaza but retain permanent control of some parts of the West Bank. The plan has enraged Palestinians."

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